Several hours into the Wayfarer Star’s frontier crossing, the cargo hold hums beneath the ship’s steady drive vibration. Beyond the hull, sparse stars drift through black space.
Damon enters beneath strips of failing white light. The supposedly sealed container sits in its restraint cradle, power cables pulsing weakly against its unmarked alloy sides.
His engineering display shows the same impossible contradiction: faint life signs inside, no living cargo on the manifest, and a power draw that has begun collapsing.
Damon Ryder
The life signs are dropping faster than the station distance.
A warning tone chirps. The container’s emergency indicators flicker from amber to red, painting the hold in intermittent crimson while the cradle reports an internal temperature still falling.
The Wayfarer Star’s computer repeats the cargo seal status: intact, authenticated, and never opened since loading. Then something inside gives a single, faint metallic knock.
The ship continues toward the distant trade station, hours away. The red indicators remain lit, and the life-sign trace loses another segment.
✓ Quest Accepted
Stabilize the unknown occupant
✓ Quest Accepted
Discover why the unknown occupant was hidden aboard
“Does Damon recognize the container's life-support technology?”
NO, AND WORSE (Unlikely, rolled 98)
Damon’s diagnostic overlay resolves into unfamiliar symbols, then blanks entirely. The container’s life-support technology is not merely unrecognized; its interface rejects the Wayfarer Star’s systems.
Damon Ryder
The lock is feeding power back into the ship.
A sharp electrical crack snaps through the hold. The restraint cradle shudders, and three power conduits blow dark as the freighter’s internal lights drop to emergency red.
The life-sign trace stutters again. At the same instant, a new signal appears on the navigation display: an automated distress burst, broadcasting the Wayfarer Star’s position toward the trade station.
The container’s outer seal remains visibly intact, but frost spreads across its alloy face in branching lines. Something inside strikes the wall once more, weaker than before.
The ship computer announces cascading power faults and begins shutting down nonessential systems. The station is still hours away, while the distress transmission continues repeating into the dark.
““Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” Damon yanks the Wayfarer Multi-Tool free as the hold drops into emergency lighting. Whatever the container is, trying to interface with it has only made things worse. He abandons any attempt to communicate with its systems. With the life sign failing and another weak strike coming from inside, Damon decides there is no more time for diagnostics. He isolates the cargo cradle from the Wayward Star's power grid as best he can, then moves directly to the container's physical locking mechanism. Using his engineering experience and multi-tool, he attempts to bypass or cut through the external lock and open the container manually. “Whoever you are, get away from the door if you can. I'm opening this thing.” His priority is getting the occupant out alive. He'll deal with the distress transmission and damage to his ship afterward.”
SUCCESS (Great Engineering, rolled +2)
Damon Ryder
Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
Damon wrenches the Wayward Multi-Tool free, then throws the cradle’s isolation breakers. The power feedback dies, leaving only emergency red and the container’s fading life trace.
Damon Ryder
Whoever you are, get away from the door if you can. I’m opening this thing.
He clamps the tool into the external lock and bypasses its unfamiliar circuitry by force, severing the final restraint. Frost bursts outward as the alloy door releases with a heavy hiss.
Inside lies an adult alien woman with an elf-like silhouette, pale silver skin, and long white hair clinging to her face. A dark pressure suit covers her slender frame, its collar marked by dim blue lights.
She lies motionless in a contoured cradle, chilled vapor curling around her. The failing life-support unit gives one last warning chirp, then falls silent as the door stands fully open.
Serai
Air... where am I?
“Damon freezes for half a second at the sight of the woman inside, clearly not expecting anything remotely like her, before training and instinct take over. “You're aboard the Wayward Star. My ship. Don't try to move yet.” He holsters the multi-tool and checks whether she can breathe normally in the cargo hold's atmosphere, then carefully helps her out of the freezing container if she is able to move. He looks for obvious injuries or signs of hypothermia while guiding her toward warmer air. “I'm Damon. Damon Ryder. You were sealed inside one of my cargo containers, and according to my manifest, you don't exist. We'll figure out how you got there after I make sure you're not dying on my deck.” He keeps his movements slow and visible, watching her reactions carefully. He doesn't know who she is, what species she belongs to, or whether she's dangerous, but for now his priority is stabilizing her.”
SUCCESS (Fair Medicine is not listed; Health best fits stabilizing and assessing a recently released, hypothermic person, rolled -1)
Damon freezes for half a second at the sight of her, then training takes over. He holsters the multi-tool and keeps both hands plainly visible.
Damon Ryder
You're aboard the Wayward Star. My ship. Don't try to move yet.
The hold’s atmosphere reads breathable. Damon checks her pulse, skin temperature, and pressure suit seals, finding no obvious injury beyond dangerous cold and weakness.
Damon Ryder
I'm Damon. Damon Ryder. You were sealed inside one of my cargo containers, and according to my manifest, you don't exist. We'll figure that out after I make sure you're not dying on my deck.
She follows his slow guidance when he offers support. Her legs tremble, but she manages to stand, and Damon leads her toward the warmer service corridor.
Serai
The air is... safe. I can breathe. Please, do not return me to that chamber.
A burst conduit spits sparks behind them, and Damon’s sleeve catches a brief scorch as he shields her. He gets her clear, but the hold’s life-support reserve drops another notch.
“Damon glances back at the shower of sparks and the falling life-support reserve. “Wasn't planning on putting you back in there.” He keeps an arm around her until they're clear of the damaged cargo hold, guiding her toward the warmer main deck. “I need to keep this ship alive. There's water and emergency supplies in the galley. Sit down, get warm, and don't touch anything glowing red.” He pauses, looking at her for a moment. “And if you're strong enough to answer one question while I work—what do I call you?” Once she's somewhere safe, Damon turns his attention to restoring the Wayward Star's damaged systems and stopping the automated distress transmission, prioritizing life support and preventing further cascading failures.”
SUCCESS (Great Engineering, rolled -1)
Damon Ryder
Wasn't planning on putting you back in there.
Damon keeps an arm around her until they clear the damaged hold. Sparks fade behind them as he guides her onto the warmer main deck.
Damon Ryder
There's water and emergency supplies in the galley. Sit down, get warm, and don't touch anything glowing red.
Damon Ryder
And if you're strong enough to answer one question while I work, what do I call you?
Serai
I am Serai. Thank you, Damon Ryder. I will stay here, and I will touch nothing.
Serai settles beside the galley bulkhead with water and a thermal blanket. Damon reroutes reserve power, isolates the damaged conduits, and kills the automated distress burst before it transmits again.
Life support stabilizes across the Wayward Star, but the repair costs him a full emergency power cell and leaves the cargo hold sealed behind a smoking access panel.
Quest Complete
Stabilize the unknown occupant
Skill Upgrade: Engineering Great→Superb